Planning Performance Statistics, 2016/17, Q2

This report presents the latest summary statistics on planning
decision-making and timescales for July to September 2016 (Quarter
2), as well as historic data going back to quarter one of 2012/13.
It is based on data collected by the Scottish Government from Local
and Planning Authorities as part of the Planning Performance
Framework (introduced in 2012).

Applications for Local Developments (excludes legacy
cases)

There were 6,684 applications for local developments decided in
quarter two of 2016/17, 645 (9%) fewer than the 7,329 decisions in
the previous quarter, and 859 (11%) fewer applications than the
7,543 decisions in quarter two of 2015/16. The average decision
time for these 6,684 local developments was 9.1 weeks, slower by
more than one day compared to the previous quarter (8.9 weeks), but
quicker than the equivalent quarter two figures in each of the
previous four years.

Chart 1: Applications for Local Developments: Number of
decisions

Chart 2: Applications for Local Developments: Average
decision time (weeks)

In addition, there were 318 local development applications
concluded in quarter two of 2016/17 that were subject to separate
processing agreements and are not included in average time
calculations. 83% of these applications met the agreed timescales
that had been set between developers and local authorities.

Local developments include applications for household extensions
and loft conversions
etc., smaller housing and retail
developments, as well as various other types of local
developments.

These figures exclude pre 3rd August 2009 legacy cases.
Information on applications that include legacy cases is included
in the following chapters.

Applications for Major Developments (excludes legacy
cases)

For applications subject to average time calculations there were
48 major developments decided in quarter two of 2016/17, 13 (21%)
less than the 61 decisions in the previous quarter, and 9 (16%)
less than the 57 decisions in the equivalent quarter of 2015/16.
The average decision time for these 48 major developments was 44.8
weeks, more than 5 weeks slower than the previous quarter (39.3
weeks) and the slowest average decision time since the start of
this data collection in quarter one of 2012/13.

Chart 3: Applications for Major Developments: Number of
decisions

Chart 4: Applications for Major Developments: Average
decision time (weeks)

It should be noted that the average time figure of 44.8 weeks
has been influenced by two very lengthy decision times (3.8 years
and 5.4 years). Without these two applications the average decision
time would be 36.2 weeks.

Further information on the distribution of decision times for
major development applications is given in
Annex A.

In addition there were a further 17 major development
applications concluded in quarter two of 2016/17 that were subject
to separate processing agreements. 100% of these applications met
agreed timescales that had been set between developers and local
authorities. Applications subject to processing agreements are not
included in average time calculations. For the most recent quarter,
major applications with processing agreements accounted for more
than a quarter of the decisions made for all major developments.
When processing agreements are included there is an overall
decrease of 29% in the total number of decisions made for major
applications from 91 in quarter one to 65 in quarter two of
2016/17.

Major developments include applications for 50 or more homes, as
well as certain waste, water, transport and energy-related
developments, larger retail developments, and other types of major
developments. Typically there are only a small number of decisions
made for major development each quarter and therefore average
decision times are likely to be volatile.

Some of the changes over time seen in the decision time charts
above may be partly due to improvements in recording of periods of
inaction by the applicant. This is referred to as "stopping the
clock". See
Section 1.6 and
Section 9 for further details.

These figures exclude pre 3rd August 2009 legacy cases.
Information on applications that include legacy cases is included
in the following chapters.